1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of shelves and bookcases. More specifically the present invention relates to a shelving apparatus which is assembled from a kit. All preferred embodiments of the apparatus include several elongate channel leg members, each having a substantially square U-shaped cross-section and several shelves. The channel leg members are divided into sets or pairs of two leg members each. Shelving support elements for each shelf to be installed are fit into and are secured within the channel leg members, and extend between the two leg members of each pair. The number of shelves accommodated can vary from one to as many as space and strength of the kit materials permit. The pairs of leg members are set vertically upright, face to face and parallel in a spaced apart straight line series. Shelves are placed on top of a shelving support element of each leg member pair, the shelf width extending between the leg members of each pair, so that each shelf extends longitudinally through the series of leg member pairs. The channel leg members may be bolted to a wall for added stability, or end cap anchor members may be secured to the tops and bottoms of the leg member pairs and bolted to a ceiling, wall or floor, or to all of these. The shelf apparatus preferably extends along a wall from one corner to the opposing corner of a room.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been wall shelves and bookcases for retaining and displaying various items. These prior devices generally have several disadvantages.
A problem with wall shelves is that they cannot reliably carry heavy loads. There is always the danger of the shelf bracket screws pulling out of the wall, given the absence of support from below the shelves. Another problem with wall shelves is that they are labor intensive to move. They must be fully disassembled for removal to another wall.
A problem with bookcases is that they are typically large, heavy, and cumbersome to transport. When a conventional bookcase is provided in kit form, the kit is typically complicated to assemble.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a shelving apparatus in kit form which is easy to assemble and requires few or no tools.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus for which the kit is compact, of relative light weight and easy to transport.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which has a minimal number of parts.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture and can be assembled from common, off-the-shelf hardware elements.